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JORDAN.

N INDICATOR.

. Patented Dec. 30, 1890..

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G; 0. JORDAN.

STATION INDICATOR.

No. 443,856. I Patented Dec. 30, 1890.

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STATION INDICATOR.

estran- STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE O. JORDAN, OF STAUNTON, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE RAIL- \VAY STATION INDICATOR COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

STATION-INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,856, dated December 30, 1890.

Application filed April 23, 1890. Serial No. 349,128. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE 0. JORDAN, of Staunton, in the county of Augusta and State -of Virginia,-have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Station-Indicators; andI do hereby declare that the following is aful], clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in station-indicators.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved station or street indicator for cars exceedingly strong and durable in construction, composed of a minimum number of parts, extremely simple in construction and not liable to become injured or require repairs, capable of being actuated by various operating means, and which will occupy a very small space in the car and project out a minimum distance. These objects are accomplished by and this invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in combinations of parts more fully described hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of one corner of the exterior of a car, showing one of the present indicators in position. Figs. 2 and 3 are elevations of the opposite ends of the indicator, respectively, the casing being removed. Fig. 4 is a front View with the casing removed. Fig. 5 is a section in the plane of line x 00, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 isa cross-section taken in the plane of line y y, Fig. at. Figs. 7 and 8 are views illustrating different methods of operating the indicator.

In the drawings, the reference-letter a indicates the main supporting-frame of the indicator, composed of the two upright narrow parallel sides or ends, located a suitable distance, apart, and rigidly and suitably connected and braced and secured at their rear sides to a suitable base or case, so that the device can be easily mounted in the car. These ends are intended to be cast integral and separate, and thereby reduce the cost of manufacture to a minimum. A pair of main horizontal rollers b b are located in said frame, one directly above the other, and are provid ed with journals mounted in said two ends. The journals of both rollers are extended through one end of the frame and provided with the pinions c a, rigid thereon and both shown, so that the front rollerf will be in the game vertical plane as the lower guide-roller distance apart, and the two frame ends are provided with vertical guide grooves or ways 9 9, located in a vertical plane between said rollers and extending down a distance below the same and closed at their lower ends and open at their-upper ends.

h indicates the name-sheet, of suitable flexi-' ble material, at its opposite ends secured, re-

spectively, to and wound in opposite direc tions upon said two main rollers 19 b, the sheet extending forwardly from the lower edge of the lower main roller b'to and around,

the under side of the lower front side of the lower front guide-roller e, and then vertically,

in front of the frame to the front upper guide roller'f and over the top of the same and the roller f and down to the rear and around the under side of the other main winding roller 1). The bight of the loop in the sheet between the two rollers f f loosely contains a heavy metalrod or bar at its ends loosely confined in said grooves or ways g. This rod holds the sheet constantly taut and stretched I tight between rollers f and e. The rod can be easily inserted or removed from the guideways, and merely loosely rests in said bight and holds the same taut by gravity.

These two rollers f f are located a short I I I From the foregoing it will be observed that when the rollers are rotated the sheet will unwind from one main roller and wind upon the other main roller, and the front vertical portion of the sheet will travel up or down. The names of the stations or streets are placed upon this sheet in consecutive order, as usual.

The indicator is inclosed in a suitable ease j, provided with an opening in its front side (see Fig. 1) in front of the name-sheet, and which is of such size as to permit the names on the sheet to consecutively and separately appear to the persons in the car as the sheet moves either up or down behind the front of the case.

A journal of one of the main rollers (preferably upper roller 1)) is extended through the frame end opposite that upon which the be fore-mentioned gearing is located, and upon this journal a circuit metal disk or wheelj is rigidly secured. This wheel is provided with a series of peripheral recesses 71;, located an equal distant apart completely around the periphery thereof, and with a circular series of horizontal pins or studs Z projecting laterally from the outer face of the wheel. There are preferably the same number of studs as there are recesses k.

A vertically-movable spring-locking bolt in is loosely carried by the ears or projections n it directly above the operating and locking wheel j. The bolt is held bearing down on the upper edge of said wheel by a spring 0, embracing the same, and the lower end of said bolt is adapted to enter any one of said recesses 717, and thereby rigidly hold the lockingwheel, and hence the windingrollers, against rotation. This spring-bolt is operated to release the wheel by means of a cross bar or piece 11', pivoted at or near its center to said bar and extending laterally beyond the same in opposite directions with its ends normally resting on stop-pins. The ends of the bar are bent or project outwardly. Thus if either end of said bar is raised the bar will rock upwardly and raise the spring-bolt from locked position against the tension of its spring.

A pair of vertical-sliding operating-bars q q are located in vertical planes on opposite sides of the operating and locking wheel j of the winding-rollers. These bars pass loosely through one or more perforated ears 5, as shown, and at their upper ends are each pro vided with a longitudinal slot 2, through which a headed pin or screw extends into the frame to hold the bars in position and limittheir sliding movement. Near the lower end of the frame the said bars are each provided with a lateral inwardly-extending too 4, and each bar between its toe 4 and an ear 5 is surrounded by a heavy expansive coiled spring 6, constantly forcing the bar down to its limit of downward movement. Each sliding bar is provided with a springoperating finger or pawl 7 at its lower end, pivoted to its bar beneath the guide-slots therein,so that its upper end, provided at its inner edge with shoulder Q, can swing toward or from pins on the said looking-wheel. From the shoulder S the edge of said finger is inclined or beveled upwardly and outwardly, as shown. Each sliding bar below the said locking-wheel is provided with alateral arm q, provided atits outer end with an upwardly-extending extension or arm 10, rounded at its upper end and located directly beneath the pins projecting from said locking and operating wheel. Each operating-finger 7 is provided with a retractive coilspring 11, secured thereto above its pivotal point and at its lower end to the arm q, so as to hold the upper or shouldered ends of the two fingers against the pins on said locking and holding wheel.

A bell 12 or other suitable alarm is secured on a cross-bar 16 at the lower end of the frame. This alarm is provided with a vertically-swinging clapper 13, pivoted to a lug extending up from said cross-bar and provided with a heel or shoulder 14 at its outer end and a spring to yieldingly hold the clapper from engagement with the bell. This clapper is operated by a vertically-rocking horizontal lever 15, pivoted near its inner end to an arm extending up from cross-bar 16, and at its outer end provided with a crossbar 17, held bearing down on the inner ends of the two lateral toes 4 of the sliding bars q g by a coil-spring 18, secured to the bar 16 and to the outer arm of the lever. At its iuner end the lever is provided with a springiinger 19, having its lower end located over said heel 14 and its opposite end being pro vided with a retraetive coil-spring 20 to yieldingly hold said lower end in its normal position.

Any suitable mechanism can be employed to operate the sliding bars q q, either automatic or operated by the conductor or other person in the car. In Fig. 7 the bars q q are provided with downward longitudinally-slot ted extensions, and a T-shaped lever 21 is pivoted beneath the car, so that its vertical arm will engage an incline 2 2 on the track, as ordinarily, and be rocked thereby, and the two opposite horizontal arms of said lever are respectively confined loosely in said slotted extension, so that when said lever is rocked one of the arms will be swung up, thereby throwing up the sliding bar on that side. As said bar moves up, the upper end of its operating-finger is thrown out by reason of the beveled edge engaging one of the pins of the locking-wheel, and as the bar continues up the shoulder of said finger slips upon said pin and the upper end of the sliding bar ongages one end of the rocking cross-bar p and raises the same, and thereby lifts the lockingbolt on and releases the operating and locking wheel. The vertical arm 10 moves up with its bar across the face of wheel j and beside one of the pins thereon and prevents said wheel from moving in either direction when the locking-bolt is raised and before the bar begins its downward movement. If the arm 10 in moving up should happen to come in di ICC rect contact with a pin of said wheel, the beveled or rounded end of the arm will push the pin to one side, thereby slightly rotating the wheel. When the sliding bar has reached its limit of upward movement, (see right-hand bar, Fig. 2,) the spring 6 throws it down, thereby allowing the spring-bolt to drop upon the edge of the wheel j, and drawing around said wheel throughthemedium of theoperating-finger and said pin the distance between two pins and recesses k, and hence operating the win (1- ing-wheels to move the sheet a sufficient distance to display the name of the next suc-.

ceeding street or station behind the opening in the case, and when moved this distance the bolt m will snap into a recess and lock the parts. Each pin Z is preferably located on posite a recess 70, and the recesses are located such a distance apart that when the wheel is rotated the distance from one recess to another the name-sheet will travel a distance sufficient to withdraw one and display the next succeeding name. The holding and operating wheel and the name-sheet are operated in opposite directions by the two sliding bars and their operating-fingers, respectively, so that when the car is proceeding in one direction one of said bars and its finger operate the name-sheet, and when the car is proceeding in the opposite direction the other bar and its finger operate the name-sheet in the opposite direction. When either one of said sliding bars is thrown up, its toe 4 engages one end of cross-bar l7, and thereby lifts the outer end of lever 15 against tension of spring 18 and throws down the inner end of said lever, so that the spring-finger 19 will bear-down the heel of thebell-clapperand raise the clapper, and will then slip from said end and allow the spring of the clapper to throw againstthebell and sound the same. \Vhen the lever 15 resumes its normal position, the finger 19, by reason of its spring and pivotal mounting, slips past the heel of the clapper and assumes its normal position. hen the car containing the indicator travels back and forth over the same route, of course the namesheet is moved back and forth, and by the two operating-bars, respectively, when the vehicle is moving in 'opposite directions; but when the car is not to proceed back over the same route the name-sheet can be moved back in readiness to begin again 011 the same route by the small hand-crank w, projecting through one side of the case and attached (removably or permanently) to the journal at either end of one of the winding-rollers.

The locking-bolt m can be provided witha knob or arm u, (see Fig. 1,) projecting through a slot in the case, so that the operating and locking Wheel can be released when it is desired to rotate the winding-rollers by means of crank to.

Various means, as before stated, can be employed to operate the sliding operatingbars, such as cords working over pulleys and connected with said bars and adapted to be operated by hand; or devices such as shown in Figs. 4 and S can be employed.

In Fig. at each sliding operating-bar is extended down beneath the bottom of the car and pivoted to one end of a horizontal vertically-rocking lever 24, to the oppositeend of which a vertical push-rod 25, extendingup through the bottom of the car, is pivoted and adapted to be operated by down-pressure of the foot on said rod. In Fig.8 the operation is substantially the same, the push-rod and extension of the sliding operating-bar being pivoted to crank-arms extending from opposite ends of a rock-shaft26, mountedbeneath the car-floor.

This indicatoris exceedingly simple in constructian and sure and reliable in operation and projects out a minimum distance from the wall of the car, being flat and occupying a small space.

It is evident that various changes might be made in the form and construction of the various parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Hence I do not wish to confine myself to the precise construction herein set forth; but

What I claim is 1. In an indicator, the combination of a supporting-frame, winding-rollers mounted therein, a pair of horizontal guide-rollers a distance apart and in substantially the same horizontal plane, the namesheet operated by said winding-rollers and passing over said guide-rollers, and a metal rod loosely resting on the portion of the sheet between said guide-rollers and loosely confined at its ends in vertical slots and thereby holding the sheet stretched taut, substantially as described.

2. In combination, the frame, windingrollers mounted therein, operating mechanism therefor, a guide-roller in the lower front portion of the frame, a pair of guide-rollers in the upper part of the frame, the namesheet secured to and Wound on said windingrollers and passing over said guide-rollers and stretched from the lower front guideroller to said upper rollers, vertical ways at the inner sides of the frame ends between said two guide-rollers, and a heavy rod resting on the portion of the sheet between said two rollers and loosely confined in said ways at its ends, substantially as described.

3. In combination, the name-sheet, operating-rollers for and carrying the same, an operating and locking wheel for said rollers, a sliding bar to rotate said wheel, and a lock for the wheel separate from said bar and operated by the same to release the wheel when the bar is operated to rotate the wheel, substantially as described.

at. In combination, the name-sheet, operating-rollers for and carrying the same, an operating and holding wheel rigid with one of said rollers, a lock for said wheel normally holding the same, a verticallysliding bar operated in one direction by a spring and provided with means for operating it in the IIO other direction, and an operating'finger carried by said bar to rotate said wheel, said bar being arranged to release said lock from the wheel when operated to rotate the wheel, as set forth.

5. The combination, with the moving namesheet and its operating-rollers, of the operating and holding wheel for said rollers, a spring locking-bolt for said wheel, having a lateral arm, and a vertically-sliding bar provided with an operating-finger to rotate said wheel, said bar being arranged to engage said lateral arm and raise the bolt from the wheel when operated to rotate the wheel, substantially as described.

(5. The combination, with the name-sheet and operating-rollers therefor, of the wheel rigid with one of said rollers, having a series of pins projecting from its face and a series of recesses in its periphery, a spring-bolt to enter a recess and lock the wheel, and a vertically-sliding bar having a swinging springfinger to engage said pins and rotate the wheel when the bar is moved in one direction, substantially as described.

7. In combination, the frame, a movable n am e-sheet, operating-rollers therefor, a wheel rigid with one of said rollers and having a series of peripheral recesses and lateral pins from its face, a spring-bolt bearing down on the periphery of said wheel to enter a recess and lock the same, the two vertically-sliding operating-bars on opposite sides of said wheel, provided with springs to hold them down and with pivoted fingers having springs holding them in contact with said pins, so that said fingers will respectively rotate the wheel in opposite directions, opposite lateral arms from said bolt above the bars for the purpose set forth, and means to operate said bars, as set forth.

8. The combination, with the namesheet and the operating-rollers therefor, of the operating-Wheel rigid with one of said rollers and having the series of lateral pins from its face, the two sliding operating-bars on opposite sides of said wheel, having fingers to engage said pins and rotate the wheel, each bar being provided with an arm to prevent retrograde movement of the Wheel when the bar is moving up, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination, with the indicating devices, the supporting-frame, and a sliding bar to operate the indicating devices, having a lateral arm, of a cross-bar in the lower portion of the frame, agong mounted on the same, having a spring-clapper, and a spring rocking lever mounted on said bar with one end above said lateral arm and its opposite end having a spring-finger to engage and force down said clapper and suddenly release the same to sound the alarm, as set forth.

I11 testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEO. 0. JORDAN.

\Vitnesses.

E. G. DUFFY, C. M. WERLE. 

